Check out what came and what I think about it all!
Back again for round 2! I'm way late for my July bag review, but I needed the opportunity to test out the products, which brought me in right under the wire:)
If you don’t know, ipsy is one of those subscription box/bag services like Birchbox or Boxycharm. You pay $10/month US and you get 5 products in your bag.
Also, not everyone gets the same stuff in their bags, so I can only review the items I received, although I calculated the values for every item offered this month.
A NOTE ABOUT PRODUCT WORTH
Before I move on, I know a lot of people are into calculating the worth of these bags to see if the bag was worth the money they paid. I did calculate the worth of the bag and will show you individual item charts and then a grand total at the end.
For items that weren't full-sized and do not have a sample size equivalent for sale, I took the price per ounce or gram and divided it out and actually used that to calculate how much the sample size is worth.
I hate it when companies and people say, “All of this is worth ‘this much’ or this is an ‘x’ amount of dollars value” and they are using the price of the product as if it were full size, and that’s really not accurate at all. I feel like it’s kind of dishonest and misleading when companies use that to make stuff sound like a better deal, but that’s business for ya!
When I say one of these products is worth “x” amount of money, I mean that this actual size that I am showing you is worth that much and not the full size product.
..........Let's Get Started!
The Bag:
First and foremost is the actual bag that the products come in. Every ipsy glam bag is an actual, usable, cosmetics bag that comes in your pretty pink bubble mailer, and the bag is different every month.
I honestly think the bags themselves are what blow me away the most about my ipsy subscription. When I first signed up, I assumed they would be dollar-store quality hard plastic zipper pouches, but I continue to be wowed.
I must not be very observant, because I thought July's bag was a plastic-y finish when I saw it online; however, this month's bag is a nice, heavy-feeling fabric bag woven in a sunset chevron pattern that fits with the "Summer Lovin'" theme. I'm also in love with the bright blue liner:)
Enclosed theme card:
1. Jor'el Parker Rollerball Perfume
Scent: Classico
Well, I was initially extremely disappointed to see this in my bag since I do not use perfume. There were other items I would have preferred that I didn't get, but I knew it was inevitable that I would get a fragrance even though I do not have it checked on my quiz.
I used to be extremely sensitive to scents, so I never even started to use perfume. My sensitivity has all but gone away, but the most fragrance I have are the Bath & Body Works body mist sprays. Once I got over the fact that I "do not use perfume," I realized that there was no real reason for me to actually hate perfume. I was planning on passing this perfume along to someone else, but I decided to try it. That's what ipsy's all about, right?
One of the reasons I'm more pleased with the product than I thought I'd be is because it's actually a rollerball and not a spray perfume, which I find much less intimidating as someone who is new to perfume. I realize rollerballs are generally hated for multiple reasons by perfume enthusiasts, but it's what is working for me right now.
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| Rollerball-style fragrance |
Honestly, I don't know anything about perfume notes or anything like that. I actually went to the product website and read them all, but it told me nothing. I mean, it's great that it's got Sandalwood, but that means nothing to me if I don't know what the heck Sandalwood smells like! If you know your perfumes and would find this info informative, you can go here to read all about it.
I wouldn't even know how to describe the scent. It's like me having never tasted wine but going to a wine-tasting and trying to describe the bouquet or the aroma. All I can say is that I actually really like it. It is not sickly-sweet, it is not nauseatingly overpowering, nor is it headache-inducing-ly strong. I don't feel like someone is going to pass out or have an asthma attack just from standing next to me. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that it's not a spray and I can't accidentally spritz it where I don't want it or spray up a cloud in my room and drown myself in it.
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| Perfect size for travel or purse! |
I'm volunteering at a gala in August and I don't usually attend this kind of event, so I'm going to take that opportunity to take this Classico for a test drive. Perfume seems like a must-have for a fancy party, so I'm hoping it will help me feel more put together. And yes, I do know where to apply perfume:)
All I can say is that I like the scent. It really bothers me that I can't describe it anymore than that (and linking to the note information) because I like being as descriptive and informative as possible. If you do get a chance to check it out, thought, I'd give it a try!
Jor’el Parker Classico Perfume
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Ipsy product
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8.8 mL
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$21.00
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Full-size
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50 mL
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$55.00
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The 8.8 mL rollerball that came in the ipsy bag is actually sold on the Jor'el Parker product page for $21, but I still used the full 50 mL version for the full-size comparison as that is what many people would purchase. No calculation necessary. The ipsy product is worth $21.
2. Teeez Cosmetics Read My Lips Lipstick
Shade: Killing Me Softly
Hmmm....I've never been so up-in-the-air about a product before, especially a lip product. As I said in my Stowaway Cosmetics Lip & Cheek review, I have what I would call problem lips. It can be difficult for me to get an accurate reading on lip products, and I pretty much need to exfoliate right before testing a new one out so I can actually tell how it performs.
I will say that I was THRILLED to get a lip product in my July bag after not getting ANY of the gazillion lip products they offered in the June bag.
Hmmm....I've never been so up-in-the-air about a product before, especially a lip product. As I said in my Stowaway Cosmetics Lip & Cheek review, I have what I would call problem lips. It can be difficult for me to get an accurate reading on lip products, and I pretty much need to exfoliate right before testing a new one out so I can actually tell how it performs.
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| Dat packaging tho |
I will say that I was THRILLED to get a lip product in my July bag after not getting ANY of the gazillion lip products they offered in the June bag.
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| ipsy.com |
I guess the joke's on me because I was not impressed with this lipstick. While it did seem to keep my lips soft, that's about it. I never straight-up hate on a color of a product because I know different shades work for different people, but I would not call this a universally flattering shade. I thought I could pull off almost any shade of lip color before this, but it's just not flattering on my pale skin. I do own several bright coral lip products, but they aren't quite the same.
Doesn't look too awful in this picture!
The product does not apply smoothly in my opinion; it tugs at the lips going on and it balls up and applies patchy. I had to take my finger and smooth it out. Also, if you have deeper lines in your actual lips, it will settle in there and highlight these areas.
If the shade flatters you and you have super smooth lips, you will probably not find anything wrong with this product. It's pretty nice and soft as it sits on your lips longer and it does not have any kind of weird smell or taste. I'm just disappointed that it wasn't right for me after I got so excited about it.
Teeez Cosmetics Read My Lips Lipstick
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ipsy product
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2 g
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$22
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full-size
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2 g
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$22
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The full-size product was included in this month's bag and it sells for $22.
3. City Color Cosmetics HD Powder
I always like to try new HD powders! I'll be honest, though. I've been using my translucent powders more lately and haven't used my HD powders in awhile. My skin got pretty bad and I wanted maximum coverage with my makeup, which for me meant translucent powder in my skin tone on top of my foundation.
Now that my skin has majorly cleared up, I was excited to get this HD powder and try it out. I also own two other HD powders on opposite ends of the spectrum. I have the e.l.f. and Make Up For Ever versions which I pulled out so I could compare them to this City Color powder.
In case you are unfamiliar with this type of product, it is a loose finishing powder that is white in the container and is meant to blur imperfections and make your foundation look nice and smooth. Although the product is white, it is meant to be used on any skin tone.
To be honest, I'm usually in a hurry when I'm getting ready because I'm such a poor judge of time, so I didn't have time to sit and judge/admire the product right after I put it on. The effects of this HD powder were much more apparent to me after I got home. When I touched my face, it was extremely soft and smooth-feeling (more-so than with regular powder) which is one of the things I love about these HD powders. This is because of how supposedly fine-milled they are. My skin was also completely dry (in the non-oily way, not the dry skin way) and matte which was fantastic, and I noticed that my foundation hadn't settled as much into my very deep smile lines which I normally have to keep an eye on during the day.
Once I played around with this one and the e.l.f. and MUFE versions a bit more, I noticed that surprised even me! The MUFE version applied much more smoothly and less chunky than the e.l.f., but the City Color powder applied more smoothly, less white, and less powdery/chunky than the Make Up For Ever! I couldn't believe my eyes when I did a swatch.... no wonder I noticed amazing results after a hot, sweaty day of wearing it!
City Color Cosmetics HD Powder
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Ipsy product
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4 g
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$3.42
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Full-size
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7 g
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$5.99
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The full-size product of 7 grams sells for $5.99, so I calculate the 4 gram ipsy sample to be worth $3.42.
4. Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo
Well, well, well. The shocker of the century!
To start out, yes I was ticked when I saw this in my Glam Room.
I've tried one other dry shampoo I got in a sample hair kit at Ulta and it made my thin, oily hair even greasier. Once I got over the initial disappointment of seeing this in my glam room, I realized that I was actually still interested in this type of product and I was willing to give dry shampoo another chance.
I am now going at least 4 days in between hair washes even when my scalp starts to itch in an attempt to train my hair to not be so oily. I also work out between 3 and 5 days a week, so there's some sweat mixed in there too. Ewwwww.
If you have never used dry shampoo before, I will warn you that it does blast out of that can pretty intensely, so don't let that freak you out! It is also notoriously not brunette-friendly because it comes out of the can white.
Well, a complete 180 from that other dry shampoo I tried. The hair where I applied the dry shampoo honestly felt fresh and dry like I had just washed and dried it, and it still felt like that the next day. It's amazing to me that 2 products in the same category like that could be so different!
Before rubbing it in completely:
The Eva NYC dry shampoo was definitely more of what a dry shampoo should be and I'm pretty pleased with how this product performed. This might end up being a full-size purchase if it continues to perform consistently, as my hair would benefit from a good-quality product from this category!
To start out, yes I was ticked when I saw this in my Glam Room.
I've tried one other dry shampoo I got in a sample hair kit at Ulta and it made my thin, oily hair even greasier. Once I got over the initial disappointment of seeing this in my glam room, I realized that I was actually still interested in this type of product and I was willing to give dry shampoo another chance.
I am now going at least 4 days in between hair washes even when my scalp starts to itch in an attempt to train my hair to not be so oily. I also work out between 3 and 5 days a week, so there's some sweat mixed in there too. Ewwwww.
If you have never used dry shampoo before, I will warn you that it does blast out of that can pretty intensely, so don't let that freak you out! It is also notoriously not brunette-friendly because it comes out of the can white.
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| Right out of the can |
Well, I was on day 3 hair and had to go out, so I figured it was as good a time as any to test this out. I sprayed it on top of my head in the part. It did, of course, come out white, but the white did go away quickly, especially after I began massaging it into my scalp. It does also turn into a powder after you spray it and start rubbing it in.
turns to powder:
turns to powder:
I also applied and rubbed it around my crown area since my hair is very thin there and any grease makes that even more noticeable.
Well, a complete 180 from that other dry shampoo I tried. The hair where I applied the dry shampoo honestly felt fresh and dry like I had just washed and dried it, and it still felt like that the next day. It's amazing to me that 2 products in the same category like that could be so different!
Before rubbing it in completely:
The Eva NYC dry shampoo was definitely more of what a dry shampoo should be and I'm pretty pleased with how this product performed. This might end up being a full-size purchase if it continues to perform consistently, as my hair would benefit from a good-quality product from this category!
Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo
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Ipsy product
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0.75 oz
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$1.61/$3.40
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Full-size
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5.3 oz
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$11.99/$24.00
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I've never seen a price discrepancy quite like this before. The full-size product retails for $24.00 on the Eva website, but Ulta sells it for $11.99. I also saw it on drugstore.com for somewhere around $13. Depending on which value you prefer to use, I calculate the ipsy sample to be worth either $1.61 or $3.40
5. Avene Eau Thermale Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser
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| The product did come full. I just used it before I realized I didn't take pictures yet...haha |
I know I already said "well, well, well," but this product is deserving of one as well:) I think it's actually hilarious that the two products I was pissed about getting ended up as my favorites, and the one I was most excited about was my least favorite. That's the nature of the beast ipsy for you! I almost kind of like it:-P
They described the product beautifully on their website, so I thought I would just share that gem right here:
As I alluded to previously, I was pretty ticked when I looked in my glam room and saw that I only got two makeup products. The thing is, I was all hot and bothered before I actually even knew what the products were! Who knew that just looking in a glam room once a month would teach you so much about yourself and how you are not so patient and non-judgemental as you think!
Of course, after I researched the product it ended up being the exact product I desperately needed....of course...
As someone who had bacon-grease skin as a teen and young adult and continues to have an oily t-zone in the summer, I was very excited to try this. I immediately discontinued my normal face wash and began using this the same day my glam bag came, so I've been using it for about two weeks, twice a day.
Although it looks like a liquid in the container and has a much lower viscosity than a traditional "gel", you can tell it has a more gel-like consistency when you put some on your hand. You use it just like any other face cleanser. The product has a very nice, soft lather that feels great on my skin. It does appear to be very gentle without the soap; I accidentally got some very close to my eye and I didn't feel a darn thing. My face also felt very soft and almost moisturized after using it, something I'm not used to feeling with facial cleansers.
I hate it when you can't tell if a product actually works or if you're getting a placebo effect. I try to be honest with myself and observant to make sure I'm not going to hype up a product that didn't actually do anything.
The pores on my nose might be a slightly reduced, but I haven't really noticed that my pores look any smaller in general, and my nose blackheads are still there. I honestly do feel like my forehead and oily parts are less oily, however. I usually start getting an oil slick right smack dab in the middle of my forehead as the day goes on, and I truly feel like that is not happening, or at least not nearly as often.
In case you don't know French:) don't know where the thermal comes in lol
My face has cleared up since using this as well, but I feel like it was headed in that direction anyway so I do not want to 100% say that the product did it when I just can't be sure.
I have used more than half of the bottle so far, so when I am done I will go back to my Biore cleanser. If my skin gets worse or does not feel as healthy as with this Eau thermale Avene, I might consider buying the full size! We'll see how it goes...
The full-size product costs $20, so I have calculated the ipsy sample as $2.49.
=$50.52 =$80.98
Got something different in your glam bag? I'm going to do something I was apparently too selfish to do last month and calculate the worth of every single item offered this month, and not just what came in my bag! What good is it to you if you know how much my stuff was worth? I'm not writing this thing just for me, after all.
The "worth" column is the calculated price of the size item that was included in the ipsy bag, and I have checked whether or not the ipsy item was a full size item. Go ahead, find your items and add 'em up!
They described the product beautifully on their website, so I thought I would just share that gem right here:
"Deep-penetrating, soap-free cleanser eliminates impurities and excess sebum without stripping the skin. With a patented triple action formula including the patented active ingredient Glyceryl Laurate, sebum and oil production are inhibited and the bacteria responsible for blemishes is diminished, resulting in healthy, blemish-free skin."
As I alluded to previously, I was pretty ticked when I looked in my glam room and saw that I only got two makeup products. The thing is, I was all hot and bothered before I actually even knew what the products were! Who knew that just looking in a glam room once a month would teach you so much about yourself and how you are not so patient and non-judgemental as you think!
Of course, after I researched the product it ended up being the exact product I desperately needed....of course...
As someone who had bacon-grease skin as a teen and young adult and continues to have an oily t-zone in the summer, I was very excited to try this. I immediately discontinued my normal face wash and began using this the same day my glam bag came, so I've been using it for about two weeks, twice a day.
Although it looks like a liquid in the container and has a much lower viscosity than a traditional "gel", you can tell it has a more gel-like consistency when you put some on your hand. You use it just like any other face cleanser. The product has a very nice, soft lather that feels great on my skin. It does appear to be very gentle without the soap; I accidentally got some very close to my eye and I didn't feel a darn thing. My face also felt very soft and almost moisturized after using it, something I'm not used to feeling with facial cleansers.
I hate it when you can't tell if a product actually works or if you're getting a placebo effect. I try to be honest with myself and observant to make sure I'm not going to hype up a product that didn't actually do anything.
The pores on my nose might be a slightly reduced, but I haven't really noticed that my pores look any smaller in general, and my nose blackheads are still there. I honestly do feel like my forehead and oily parts are less oily, however. I usually start getting an oil slick right smack dab in the middle of my forehead as the day goes on, and I truly feel like that is not happening, or at least not nearly as often.
In case you don't know French:) don't know where the thermal comes in lol
My face has cleared up since using this as well, but I feel like it was headed in that direction anyway so I do not want to 100% say that the product did it when I just can't be sure.
I have used more than half of the bottle so far, so when I am done I will go back to my Biore cleanser. If my skin gets worse or does not feel as healthy as with this Eau thermale Avene, I might consider buying the full size! We'll see how it goes...
Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance Gel Soapless
Cleanser
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Ipsy product
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0.84 oz
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$2.49
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Full-size
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6.76 oz
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$20
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The full-size product costs $20, so I have calculated the ipsy sample as $2.49.
So how does this bag stack up against the $10 you spent?
Everybody likes to get their money's worth, so let's see if this month's glam bag was worth the wait!
Worth Comparison Chart
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ipsy
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Full-size
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Teeez Cosmetics Lipstick
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$22
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$22
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Jor’el Parker Perfume
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$21
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$21
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City Color HD Powder
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$3.42
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$5.99
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Eva NYC Dry Shampoo
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$1.61
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$11.99
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Eau Thermale Avene Cleanser
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$2.49
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$20
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When added together, the total value of the July 2015 glam bag is approximately $50.52. You also have to consider the fact that you received a functional, high quality cosmetics bag, which probably puts the value over the $50 mark. If you still like to know the "value" of the bag based on the full-sized product prices, I calculated it at approximately $80.89, plus the value of the actual bag. These numbers are significantly higher if you use the $24 retail value of the dry shampoo instead of the $11.99 Ulta price!
Obviously, each person will place a different personal value on the bag depending on whether or not they liked or could use all of their products, but monetarily speaking the July 2015 glam bag is a great deal!
But I got different stuff in my bag!!
Got something different in your glam bag? I'm going to do something I was apparently too selfish to do last month and calculate the worth of every single item offered this month, and not just what came in my bag! What good is it to you if you know how much my stuff was worth? I'm not writing this thing just for me, after all.
The "worth" column is the calculated price of the size item that was included in the ipsy bag, and I have checked whether or not the ipsy item was a full size item. Go ahead, find your items and add 'em up!
Product
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Worth
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Full size product?
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Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics 2-in-1 Shadow/Liner
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$16
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Essie Nail Polish “Fashion Police”
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$8.50
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‘Tini Beauty Eyetini Swizzle Stick Eyeliner – “Blue Hawaiian”
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$18
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Vasanti Cosmetics Brighten Up! Exfoliating Cleanser/Enzyme Face Rejuvenator
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$5.63
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Crown Brush Infinity Shadow/Crease duet
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$6.99/$17.50
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Pur-lisse Pur-delicate Gentle Soymilk Cleanser & Makeup Remover
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$6.43
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Olehenriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths
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$8.00
|
this size sold, but as travel size (full pack worth $15)
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Jersey Shore Cosmetics Mongongo Vanilla Coconut Cream Lip Conditioner
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$10
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(larger size sold for $15)
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Crown Brush Professional Tweezers
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$6.99/$17.49
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OFRA Cosmetics Bliss Eyeshadow
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$15
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Coolway Beach Salt Spray
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$1.97
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Be a Bombshell Cosmetics Lip Balm
|
$14
|
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Lulu Blossom Raspberry Lemonade Lip Balm
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$3
|
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Tarte Amazonian Clay Matte Waterproof Bronzer
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$10.31
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Pur-lisse Pur-bright Ultra Skin Brightening Serum
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$25.84
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Bare Republic Naturals SPF 30 Tinted Mineral Face Sunscreen Lotion
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$2.56
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Nudestix Magnetic Eyecolor “Gilt”
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$24
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Nicka K New York HQ Quad Eyeshadow
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$4.99
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Octavio Molina Hair La Playa Salt Spray
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$7.75
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Aurora Gel Effects Polish
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$7.99/12
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BellaPierre Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick
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$19.99
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I don't know about you, but I was super impressed with how many full-size items were included in this month's offerings!
I hope you found this post informative and I hope you are having fun with your July 2015 ipsy glam bag. See you back here to explore next month's bag!
*Here is my ipsy referral link if you are ready to start your subscription!
*All opinions contained in this blog and post are my own. I was not paid to review any products and none of the links contained in this post are affiliate links. I earn 250 ipsy points/person who uses my subscription link, and points can be redeemed for product on the ipsy website*
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